Improvement in carbonic-acid-gas generators



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. W. DOPP. cARBomc-Acm GAS GENERATOR.

Patented March 28, 1876.

' No.175,34Z.

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lwnmw we OTO-LITHOGRAPHER WASHINGTON D O Z Sheets-SheetZ. H. W. DOPP.

CARBONIC-ACID GAS GENERATOR. No.175,342. Patented March 28,1876.

Tie 5 lllllll II II UNITED S'rA rEs H. WILLIAM DOPP, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO DOPP MANU- PATENT OFFICE.

FAOTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

lMPROvE MENT lN CARBONlC-AClD-GAS GENERATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 175,342, dated March 28, 1876; application filed January 11, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, H. WILLIAM DOPP, of Bufi'alo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented an Automatically Operating Garbonic-Acid-Gas Generator, for

preserving fermented liquors or other perishable substances; and I do hereby declare that i the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying sheets of drawings, forms a full, clear, and exact specification,

wherein are set forth the nature an'd'object of my invention, and the best mode by which it is carried into efl'ect.

My present invention relates to one of a series of improvements on carbonic-acid-gas generators with which I am at present engaged; and it consists of the arrangement of parts and details of construction, as will hereinafter more fully appear, and be pointed out in the claims.

In the annexed sheets of drawings, which form a part of this specification and illustrate my invention more fully, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of my improved and limestone reservoir, B, made of a material neutral and impervious to acids, such as glass,

china, or pottery-ware, the latter being preferred on accountofitscheapness. This reservoir or vessel B is of a bottle-like shape, its upper end being contracted to form the neck B. Its vertical and horizontal I dimensions are less than that of the shell A, and it is inserted therein in such manner that its neck B passes through the centrally-perforated top A, and its bottom be a few inches above that of the shell A, upon which it is supported by the cross-pieces or frame Z.

- Within the vessel B I provide, at a properdistance above its bottom, a perforated diaphragm, consisting of an annular collar, F, and two semicircular plates, E E, so as to divide the interior of said vessel into an acidchamber, 0, and a limestone or marble chamber, D.

The "essel B being of less diameter externally than the interior of the shell A, I obtain an annular space, K K, between these parts, and this spaceI connect with the chamber D by means of the flexible tube L and the pending washer-tube N.

The shell A is provided with a collar, A, in its apex, of a diameter larger than the perforation in said top, and the neck B of the vessel B is tightly packed therein by a rubber ring or band, J, pressed into the annular space between said neck and collar. A layer, J, of a composition consisting of asphaltum and bees-wax, or a similar compound,

is poured upon this rubber ring J, to make a perfect but elastic joint.

The collar A, and with it the vessel B, is

closed by a device consisting of the lugs to on said collar, provided with screw-bolts a, extending upwardly through the transverse bar G. Said transverse bar has 'on one of its ends a slot-hole, a, and turns around the bolt on opposite. A set-screw, H, passes through the center of said bar G, and presses upon a plate, G, resting upon the upper edge of the band A, a rubber packing-ring, I, being interposed to make a perfect and reliable joint. To remove the plate G the set-screw H is unscrewed and the bar G swung over.

N is the washer and conveyertube. It enters the annular space K K on the top, and passes vertically downward to the bottom of the vessel B, where it has a bend, and thence inclines, traversing the space between the two bottoms radially until it reaches the bottom of the shell A. It is provided-with a series of \'ery small openings, 0, in the upper side of the inclining part, arranged at suitable distance apart. v

The chamber 0 has communication with the exterior of the shellA by the tube P, inserted into a nozzle in vessel B, and tightly fittiing'a like nozzle on the shell A. A flexible tube or hose, Q, is attached to this tube P with one of its extremities, and with its other end fastened to the messure-regulatOr aml safety-valve R, situated above the generator.

S is a plug closing the discharge-opening of the tube '1 from the acid-chamber (J. S is a like device, serving to close the draw-ofl' opening near the base of the shell A, and S is a gage-plug for the liquid contents of the space K K. U isaflexible tube connecting the shell A with the vessel V through the compound valve Y and the spigot X.

The operation of my device is as follows, to wit: The apparatus being arranged as described and illustrated, pieces of limestone or marble of not too large size are placed upon the perforated diaphragm, and the cap securely fastened by the set-screw II. Now water is poured into the space K, through the feed-opening S in the topA", until it flows out of the gage-opening S", when both openings will be closed after a suitable quantity of soda is put into the water. The, charge being so far advanced, the chamber 0 is filled with diluted muriatic acid up to the tube P, and the pressure-regulator and safety-valve It nearly full, when the apparatus is ready for action by elevating said pressure-regulator R to a height corresponding with its hydrostatic pressure,to the maximum tension which the carbonic-acid gas to be generated is to acquire. The contents of the pressure-regulator R will now pass into the chambers G and 1), and there, coming in contact with the limestone or marble chips, liberate carbonic acid gas, which, ascending, will pass through the tubes L and N, and escape through the perforations O in fine bubbles. Passing through the weak solution of soda, the gas will assemble in the space K above said soda solution, and there, as well as in the chamber D, gradually attain tension. This tension will have the effect of forcing the acid in the chamber D downward and through the tubes P and Q up into the pressure-regulator It. By the time the acid shall all have been forced back into the regulator 1%, that has previously entered the chambers D and (J, the pressure in the chamber D will be equal to the superincumbent column of acid, and this will be kept suspended until a diminished tension of gas in the chamber D will allow the acid to enter again, and thus reconnnence to generate gas. As a matter of course, the apparatus will cease to generate gas as soon or soon after the acid has left the chamber D. The pressure-regulator R serves the purpose as such, and also that of a safetyvalve-the first by its variable elevation above the apparatus, which will determine the ultimate and preascertainable tension of the carbonicacid gas generated in the compartment D, and that of a safety-valve by allowing the superfluous or excess of gas to escape through the tubes P and Q, and through the acid contained in said pressure-regulator R as soon as said acid has been forced back. The tube P enters the chamber 0 an inch or two below the diaphragm E. This arrangement is an essential feature of my apparatus, and necessitated by the salts formed by the muriatic acid and limestone being soluble in water, which, being contained in the acid, dissolves said salts, and the resultant solution, being of a higher specific gravity than the acid, settling on the bottom of the chamber 0.

With many practical trials with an acidchamber, 0, having the tube P entering near the bottom, I found that when all the acid contained in said chamber had dissolved as much of the limestone as to saturate the acid the apparatus would cease to work, although the regulator R be full of pure acid; and this was the result of the acid being lighter than the solution in the chamber 0, and thereby prevented from entering said chamber.

In practice the level of the acid in the chamber 0 is nearly constant, the variation being very slight, and the forcing up of the said acid into the regulator may not take place for a very long space of time, so that the acid in the chamber 0 will become saturated and the apparatus stop its action, as heretofore explained. Furthermore, I found, when the tube P was in the bottom of the chamber (3, the pressure-regulator It would not act as a safety-valve, since by the time the contents of the chamber 0 are forced up into the regulator R, (which takes place very. slowly on account of the small tube 0 and the small exit in the apex of the regulator It,) the tension of the gas generated during this time would be so high as to endanger the apparatus. In this case, also, the regulator It must necessarily be of a greater capacity than the chamber 0, which, in practice, is impracticable.

In order to prevent a momentary or sudden generation of gas when the apparatus has been newly charged, or a large amount of the carbonic-acid gas drawn ofi' from the space K, the regulator R is provided with a plug, R, having a minute passage, 1", to connect the interior with the exterior atmosphere, which has the effect of retarding the downward movement of the acid into the chamber D, and vice versa.

It will be observed that the carbonicacid gas generated in the chamber D is led through the perforated tube N into the weak solution of soda. This I do to wash said gas and to neutralize any of the hydro-chloride vapors that may have passed over with the gas. The tube N is inclined below the bottom B, and the perforations O commence in this tube below its bend, and stop within a short distance from its end. This arrangement I make to compel the gas to escape through all the perforations in small bubbles and at different places, according to the pressure existing on account of the superincumbent column of liquid above the inclined tube, which becomes higher as the tube N slopes, and thus ofl'ers additional resistance to the gas. The end of the tube N is curved and open, to allow a sufficient exit in case the apparatus has suddenly been brought into action and a large quantity of gas generated in a short space of time.

The pressure of the gas in the chamber D is higher than that in the space K to an amount equal to a column of liquid of a height of the vertical distance from the first perforation 0 to the surface of the liquid contents of said space K, and the gas, passing from the chamber D to the space K, must first displace the column of water in the tube N before it can escape. The difference between the pressure in the compartment D and the space K constitutes the only internal pressure the vessel B has to sustain, and this is 'so little that no apprehension of breakage of said vessel need be entertained; and since the exterior shell A, which sustains all the pressure, is made accordingly, this apparatus is as safe as any designated to a purpose similar to mine.

The vessel B is provided with the perforat- 0d flange F internally, upon which the two semicircular perforated plates E E are placed.

I devised this arrangement in order to enable the potter to properly join the two parts of which this vessel is made in the center previous to baking, which could not be done were the diaphragm made solid. In this case I would be compelled to make the vessel in two parts, and joint them with flanges and pack ing, or the like, which would be liable to leakage'and other drawbacks, or to breakage on the slightest occasion. It is furthermore done to enable the proper cleaning of the vessel from the residue of silica precipitated from the chloride of lime. The arrangement as described is, therefore, very essential to a perfectly reliable apparatus.

The generated gas is taken from the apparatus through the tube U, compound faucet Y, and spigot X, and thus lead into the interior of the cask Y, or other compartment where perishable substances are to be preserved.

If the apparatus is designed to be used in the preservation of beer or other fermented liquor on draft, which is the principal but not the only purpose to which it is adapted, and it is desired to draw liquor without the application of the carbonic-acid gas, use is made of the compound valve Y and spigot X-the former to allow the entrance of the atmosphere through the opening Y, and the latter to prevent the exit of gas from the interior of the cask by means of the valve X in said spigot. This valve will be opened by the atmosphere when liquor is drawn from the cask, and allow the air to enter; but as soon as the draft ceases it will drop upon its seat, and thus shut off the communication. In this case the valve Y. establishing connection with the carbonic-acid-gas generator, must he closed previous to the opening of the valve Y. This compound valve is constructed of two tubes below the diaphragm,

intersecting each other at right angles, and its arrangements are clearly indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, where b is a branch connecting with the gas generator; I), a like branch leading to the spigot X. c is a screwvalve, having its exterior thread engaging with a corresponding thread in the interior of the branch b, on the outside of which screws a nut, d, having a suitable packing, a. The point of this screw beds into a corresponding seat, f, to close and open the passage h. The arrangement of the "alve Y is similar to that of Y, except that it has no nut d, and that its branch has a passage, Y, for the ingress of air.

Having thus fully described my invention, in order to enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, I desire to secure to me by Letters Patent of the United States the following:

1. The combination, with the acid-chamber O and the limestone-chamber I), of the exterior closed shell A and the annular washer K K, substantiallv as described, for the use and purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the vessel B, having the annular inwardly-projecting perforated flange F, of the perforated plates E E, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the acid-chamber O and the elevated acid-reservoir R, of the connecting-tube Q, said tube being connected with one extremity to the acid-reservoir in its lowest point, and with the other end to the acid-chamber 0 near its top, and immediately substantially as described, for the use and purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with the washer K K, of the pendent perforated washer-tube N, when constructed and arranged in a manner substantially as described, for the purpose stated.

5. The combination, with the shell A, of the collar A, having the lugs a, provided with the bolts a, cap-plate G, transverse bar G, having the slot-hole a, and the set-screw H, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with acarbonic-aeidgas generator, of the connecting-tube U and the compound valve Y, having the valves Y and Y, arranged to operate substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination, with a carbonic-acidgas generator, of the tube U, compound valves Y and Y, and the spigot X, as described, for the object stated.

8. The combination, with the vessel B and the collar A, of the flexible packing composed of the elastic packing-ring J and the upper layer of a pliable composition, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

H. WILLIAM DOPP. Witnesses:

MICHAEL J. STARK, FRANK Hmsou. 

